Who Is The Mastermind Behind Microsoft?

If you guessed Bill Gates, you’re correct, but Microsoft’s first few years, which helped bring computers to common people (yes, the idea was revolutionary!) were also powered by the company’s co-founder, Paul Allen. He recently died at the age of sixty-five but left behind a legend that went beyond a single company. Here are five insights into Paul Allen’s life:

By Miles Harris – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26491255

– Allen’s father was a librarian, and his mom was a school teacher. He was born in 1953 in Seattle, Washington.

– Allen actually met Bill Gates when they were both still at school. A bake sale funded their first project, a time-shared computer they built together. Students could pay for how much time they used the computer!

– Allen dropped out of college and even persuaded Bill Gates to do the same just so they could start something on their own. What was that? A product called Microsoft Basic, the software for the first personal computer.

– Even though Allen didn’t work with Microsoft through its growing popularity, he remained involved with the company until 2000.

– So what did Paul Allen do? He invested in companies and donated his money for social good. He was interested in science, technology, the environment, and the arts. He is also credited for making Seattle a cultural destination. How so? By fixing old movie theaters to help create new and exciting museums, and by acquiring sports teams.

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